Coastguard tug services restored

A CONTRACT to temporarily bring back two rescue tugs withdrawn last month was awarded yesterday by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The three-month deal is to give the Scotland Office time to find a long-term solution after the emergency towing vessels were withdrawn by the UK government to cut costs.

It is understood the UK government has committed to providing up to £3 million in interim funding for the contract.

The vessels are owned by JP Knight, which had provided the coastguard with tugs until the contract ended last month.

The tugs, Anglian Monarch and Anglian Sovereign, which cover the Western Isles and Northern Isles respectively, will help other vessels which get into difficulty.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: “Ministers are working hard to try and broker a deal for 2012 and beyond, and I will chair a meeting of the emergency towing vessel group in Edinburgh on Monday to take this work forward urgently.”

Scottish Government environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: “This was the right decision … to ensure there was not a dangerous gap left in our rescue services.”